


That Sinking Feeling

by Macdadivali



Category: Room of Swords (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Death, Gen, It's a bit sad, Missing Scene, Sort Of, how the arm got buried in the snake realm, kind of ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:29:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23782402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macdadivali/pseuds/Macdadivali
Summary: The sketches of the arm in Gyrus' journal were not original blueprints, but instead studies of the cybernetic arm found buried in the sand in the snake realm. With the arm buried in the snake realm reaching towards the surface and then Don later using his abilities to try and drown Gyrus in quicksand... it's not too hard to put together the grim picture as to how it got there.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	That Sinking Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> (Fair warning, I wrote this at like 4am back in January. It's just been taunting me in my google drive since.)
> 
> Important Notes  
> -Gyrus did not make any deal with the Shadow, thus has no control over those abilities.  
> -Gyrus is shown to be a rather trusting person in general, regardless of events in the RoS to influence him. Therefore, without the Shadow whispering in his ear he'd likely still hold a greater deal of trust in Don...and as a result be a bit more naive to just what lengths Don will go through to win

_ "What if...everything you're showing me isn't the beginning at all? What if all this happened before you and another iteration of us designed the arm?" _

_ "Heh, now you're thinking." _

_ ~ _ Gyrus & Black Box Gyrus, ep. 103

\- - -

"It shouldn't be much longer. It's just a little further ahead," Gyrus said as he led Don further into the realm, away from the gate back to the Room of Swords. 

Gyrus had brought them both to a realm they’ve all dubbed the “snake realm”. Before they retrieved the boss sword and conquered the realm, it was under the control of a gorgon-type monster with a plethora of snakes under her control. Once they defeated her, the snakes all slithered off and have left them alone since. But right now Gyrus was bringing in a different kind of snake into the realm with him, one that has been right under their noses the entire time.

"Of course, lead the way, mi amigo," Don replied merrily as he followed Gyrus.

_Still trying to keep up the nice guy act, huh?_ Gyrus tried to hide his frown. While he felt anger at Don for lying to all of them, part of Gyrus was more hurt by his actions. He and many others looked up to Don and saw him as a friend or confidant. To find out their charismatic, selfless leader was really just using them all as pawns would crush everyone. Gyrus refused to let Don continue to play them all for fools with his nice musician act. _Not anymore. No more tricks and no more lies._

"There were some engravings on the pillars and walls of the boss' temple. Examining them I believe might give us more insight into this realm and others- maybe even the Room of Swords itself!" Gyrus rambled as he led Don further and further from the gate. "For example, I noticed Uroboros in several places around the realm. They are typically a symbol of infinity or a never-ending cycle-"

"We both know this is not why you brought me out here," Don cut off Gyrus' speech. 

Gyrus froze. "I have no idea what you're talking abo-" 

"You possess many talents, mi amigo, but lying is not one of them," Don continued. "Now, why did you really bring me out here?"

_Damn it, this is not how it is supposed to go!_ Gyrus panicked as sweat built upon his brow. Clenching his fists- one flesh, one mechanical- he turned to face Don. "Alright, you're correct. That's not why we're here," Gyrus admitted, there was no use in continuing the ruse since he was found out. "I want to know the truth, Don. What game are you playing against the shadows? Why have you been lying to all of us?" Gyrus asked angrily but, damn it, couldn't stop the moisture building in his eyes from the hurt he felt of being lied to the entire time.

"It's nothing you or the others would understand," Don replied dangerously. After a moment, he sighed in and shook his head in a chastising manner, like one would at a small child. "It's a shame it has come to this, mi amigo. All you had to do was collect the swords like everyone else, yet that curious nature of yours foils you yet again."

_ 'Again'? _ Gyrus swallowed anxiously. "Don...what are you talking about?" Gyrus warily questioned as the sinking feeling in his gut increased. It was almost nauseating.

"Shh...I have a story to tell you," Don said, brushing aside Gyrus' question. He then started to strum a tune on his guitar, which only served to increase Gyrus' unease. The other possessed the ability to alter reality around him through song. It was an amazing power, one that had awed Gyrus at its endless possibilities; however, now it struck him with a growing sense of doom.

" **_There once was a boy led astray by the thoughts in his head…_ ** " the musician sang eerily.

"Don…" Gyrus choked out fearfully. 

" **_He abandoned his friends and left them all for dead…_ ** "

"No!" Gyrus panicked and sent a blast of energy at Don.

" **_But his aim was off…_ ** " 

Gyrus could only watch in dread as his attack was deflected.

" **_His body was weak…_ ** " 

Gyrus let out a choked gasp as his body was suddenly drained of all its energy. He swayed dizzily and cradled his head in his hands as his vision swam.

" **_Then he felt the quicksand beneath his feet…_ ** "

Gyrus' eyes snapped open and saw that sand was covering his boots at a rapid rate " _No!_ " He screamed in panic and tried to lift his legs but only found the sand swallow him faster.

" **_The more he struggled, the faster he'd sink…_ ** "

"No no no no no-!" Gyrus panicked and tried to break the sand's pull. This only served to pull him further to his doom.

" **_He was in past his chest before he could blink…_ ** "

The sand had already swallowed his legs and was encroaching upon his chest, leaving Gyrus to fruitlessly claw at the sand. He choked out a sob as it only served to drag him deeper. "Don, please don't do this!" Gyrus pleaded desperately.

" **_He begged in vain to the friend he defied…_ ** "

" _Please!_ " Gyrus wailed helplessly as the sand encroached his neck. _Oh god, oh god, please don't- someone help me!_

" **_He took one last breath…_ ** "

Gyrus sobbed freely. No one was coming. He was a fool to try confronting Don alone, and now he was paying the price for it.

" **_And then…_ ** "

The sand brushed against his lips.

" **_He…_ ** "

Gyrus clenched his eyes shut as it passed his nose and started invading there.

" ** _Died_**."

Gyrus was just able to catch the last word before the sand clogged his ears and submerged his head. The only thing not completely consumed yet was his prosthetic arm. He desperately reached and grabbed at nothing, hoping maybe Don would have a change of heart or maybe one of the other residents of the Room of Swords had followed them into the realm. As the sand pulled him further and further, he couldn't stop his tears if he tried. _Oh god, I really am going to die here._

Gyrus struggled to hold his breath but the pressure of the sand was heavy and constricting and his lungs were at the point of bursting. Against his will, he reflexively opened his mouth to feed air into his lungs; however, the only thing that entered his airways was sand. Chest heaving as the foreign particles consumed him inside, it was as if fire was burning down his airways and greedily fueling itself with the oxygen he was being denied.

_I'm so, so sorry everyone,_ Gyrus mentally lamented. _I thought I could protect you all, but I was naive to think so._ The sand seemed to go still around him, or maybe his struggles just ceased. Everything started to feel fuzzy, the burning in his lungs and the stinging in his eyes were barely noticeable and seemed distant. The fingertips of his prosthetic met no resistance as he twitched them. So close to freedom, but it wasn't enough. 

_It's over…_ Gyrus' mind was foggy and fading. With one last thought to those he was leaving behind, the darkness of his mind consumed him and everything faded to black

**Author's Note:**

> ...oops?
> 
> (you can tell I'm a theatre kid when it ends with "fade to black")


End file.
